What kind of recalls have there been on DSMs?
What kind of recalls have there been on DSMs? |
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The major recalls on DSMs have been for:
There have been other recalls. Doing a recall search at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) website will reveal them all. For maximum information, search for all three models of DSM: Talon, Eclipse and Laser. Canadians can check the Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls On-Line Database, or call Chrysler Canada at 1-800-465-2001.
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Phone any dealer of your marque car with your VIN number in hand. They will tell you what recalls are currently outstanding for your car. Also check the NTHSA for information on both recalls and TSBs.
Canadians can check the Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls On-Line Database, or call Chrysler Canada at 1-800-465-2001.
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Absolutely. The recalls are tracked by your vehicle identification number (VIN). Be sure to phone Chrysler at 1-800-992-1997 so you can get notices of future recalls. (Note: this number may have changed to 1-800-853-1403.)
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What is the timing belt recall? What is wrong with the timing belt? Will I get a new timing belt under the recall? |
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There are two separate timing belt recalls. One involves 1990 and 1991 cars, while the second (which was issued much later) involves early 1992 cars.
In both cases, Mitsubishi was guilty of using inferior quality timing belts. The belts tended to break ahead of schedule; for information on what happens when the belt breaks, see this section of this site.
Owners of recalled vehicles are entitled to a new replacement timing belt under the recall. It is very important to note, however, that there are many other components involved in the timing belt system that should also be replaced when doing the timing belt. These components are not covered by the recall, so dealerships may not automatically replace them. For guidance, this list of components that should be replaced along with the timing belt.
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What is the transfer case recall? What is wrong with the transfer case? What kind of problem is it? Will I get a new transfer case under the recall? |
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There is nothing wrong with the transfer case - there *is* something wrong with the brass plug in the centre of the transfer case yoke. This plug can leak. If enough lubricant is lost out of the transfer case, it will wear out and lock up. Leakage may cause premature wear on the transfer case even if it does not seize up. The Transfer Case Leak page is a must read on the subject, as are Paul Lyons' definitive posts on the transfer case recall.
There is a safety recall on this problem for all model year AWD DSMs from both Mitsu and Chryco, up to and including mid-1998 models. The wording of the recall is such that:
Many DSMers have been happy with the recall work. However, there have been several reports of owners who have not received satisfactory service from the dealerships performing the recall. The causes include:
Mitsubishi owners who have already had the transfer case repaired, either by a dealer or a third party, apparantly have the option to get reimbursed from Mitsu. Details on this are sketchy.
Club DSM members can thank Dallace Marable and Paul Lyons; they are the reason why this recall is in place. You can read all of Paul's recall posts to the Digest here; do so before asking questions. I'm sure that a thank-you note would be well appreciated.
The Last Word: Good things are not meant to last. Unfortunately, the recall is unlikely to be honored by any dealership at this point in time.
Despite the information above, the idea that the transfer case safety recall would be honored indefinitely was somewhat naive. These days it seems difficult to get any dealership to honor any TSB or recall, no matter how legitimate, and a semi-official repair like this one is way, way down the list. Even the NHTSA has been saying that the recall is only good once, and if the problem reappears it is up to the owner to fix it.
Some people were lucky, and managed to get their cases repaired or replaed multiple times - presumably on the dealerships in-house service warranty, which sometimes holds for one year. Other people had a struggle getting it replaced or even repaired once.
An independent mechanic, given the proper information, should be able to repair and/or replace your transfer case. Fortunately, there have been very few reported incidents of transfer case lock-up. Unfortunately, those few I've heard about have sometimes involved injury or death.
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Is my GVR4 covered under the transfer case recall? |
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The recall is apparantly now in force. Some owners have already recieved notices. The NHTSA campaign number for this recall is 98V168000. Some GVR4 owners have already had the recall done, even prior to the 'official' release.
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Maintained by Sean Costall. Changes and suggestions are welcomed! If you have any information on the answers to any of these questions or wish additional questions, please mail me.
This page is an extension of Club DSM .